The Basics of cooking Korean Food

Gomyeong (garnish) is sprinkled or topped on dishes to decorate the food and make it more visually appealing.

1) Preparing Egg Garnish

① Beat egg, separate egg white from yolk and sprinkle each with salt.
② Remove egg cord from the white and stir without letting it foam; strain through a sieve.
③ Preheat a frying pan and oil. Pan-fry white and yolk separately on low heat to the desired thickness.
④ Cut the fried white and yolk into various shapes such as domino or diamond shapes, or thin strips, and garnish.

2) Preparing Watercress Garnish

① Beat egg, season with salt and stir without letting it foam, and strain through a sieve.
② Remove leaves of watercress, cut the stalks into 10-cm lengthwise, and skewer them at both ends.
③ Coat the skewered watercress with wheat flour then the beaten egg. Preheat a frying pan and oil, then pan-fry on low heat.
④ Cut the fried watercress into various shapes such as domino or diaper shapes, and garnish.

3) Preparing Meatballs

① Select lean meat. Rince and mince finely.
② Remove excess water from tofu and mash finely.
③ Add beef to tofu and season with salt, minced green onion, minced garlic, sesame oil, ground black pepper and sesame salt, and mix together thoroughly.
④ Shape the seasoned beef into 1.5-cm diameter meatballs and coat with wheat flour and beaten egg.
⑤ When the frying pan is heated up, oil and pan-fry on low heat while rolling meatballs around so they don’t burn.

4) Preparing Mushroom Garnish

① Soak dried brown oak mushrooms, stone mushrooms and Jew’s ear mushrooms in water for about 1 hour.
② Brown oak mushrooms: Remove the stems, slice and shred into thin strips, and season. Preheat the frying pan with oil, and stir-fry on low heat. It may also be cut into the shape of a gingko leaf, domino or diamond.
③ Stone mushrooms: Wash by rubbing with hands to thoroughly remove moss, remove belly button, roll up, shred into thin strips and season with sesame oil. Preheat the frying pan and oil. Stir-fry on low heat. Or it may be minced finely and mixed with egg white, pan-fried, and cut into domino shapes.
④ Jew’s ear mushrooms: Tear into 3 to 4 pieces, stir-fry after seasoning.

5) Preparing Vegetable Garnish

① Green. Red pepper: Cut diagonally or halve lengthwise, seed, and then cut into thin strips or into domino or diamond shapes, or diagonally.
② Dried red pepper: Seed, cut diagonally or cut into thin strips.
③ Cucumber or zucchini: Wash by rubbing with salt, cut lengthwise, and peel the skin roundly and shred the skin. Marinate with salt and stir-fry. Or cut into domino or diamond shapes.
④ Small green onion: Cut off the roots, remove outer leaves, wash thoroughly, and chop finely or cut lengthwise.

6) Preparing Nut Garnish

① Gingko nuts: Preheat a frying pan and oil. Stir-fry, remove skins with dry cotton cloths or paper towels while gingkoes are hot.
② Walnuts: Soak in warm water, peel the inner skin with a stick.
③ Jujubes: Wipe with damp cotton cloths, cut the flesh and flatten with mallet and cut into thin strips. Or create a flower by rolling up the flesh.
④ Pine nuts: Wipe with dry cotton cloths, remove tops, and use as is. Or halve lengthwise like as scale shapes, or grind into powder.
⑤ Chestnuts: Peel off outer shell and inner skin, slice or cut into thin strips.
⑥ Pumpkin seeds: Wipe with damp cotton cloths; use as is, or halve lengthwise.